State Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell announced today that he wants to make the theft of catalytic converters less appealing by creating stricter guidelines around selling the emissions-control device.
To do so, O’Donnell said he’s introduced an assembly bill, AB 2407, that would tighten the requirements for selling catalytic converters to junk dealers and recyclers in an effort to “crack down on criminal activity.” O’Donnell pointed at Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department statistics, which state the theft of the converters increased by 400% in 2020.
The proposed law would add catalytic converters to a list of materials already tracked by the metal recycling industry, he said. Specifically, AB 2407 would require any person or business that buys a used catalytic converter to share the seller’s contact information with local police, obtain a thumbprint of the seller and keep it on file for two years and sign up to receive alerts about catalytic converter thefts in their area.
Catalytic converters are an attractive device to steal from cars because they contain small amounts of very valuable metals such as platinum, rhodium, palladium and iridium, O’Donnell said in a statement. The amount of money someone can receive for selling scrap catalytic converters ranges depending on the vehicle. For the most part, catalytic converter thieves can net anywhere between a few hundred dollars and $1,000 for a single device.
“These outrageous crimes can be committed in as little as two minutes,” O’Donnell said. “For vehicle owners, the repairs cost thousands of dollars, plus the costs of losing the use of your car for days or weeks. These thefts are out of control and we must increase accountability. By making it harder for the criminal to turn a quick buck, we can reduce the incentive to commit these crimes in the first place.”
The bill now awaits its first committee hearing, something that could happen in coming weeks, according to O’Donnell’s office.
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